Nandan Nilekani returns: Five reasons why Infosys bet on its old warhorse

Afraid of fast eroding trust among investors, clients and employees after Vishal Sikka’s controversial exit as the CEO, Infosys acted fast and brought back its co-founder and ex-CEO Nandan Nilekani—the only man who can bring Infosys back from the brink.

What makes Nandan Nilekani the man of the moment? Why do nearly all agree that he is the most appropriate person to calm the stormy company and restore trust? Below are five reasons that make Nilekani everyone’s favourite:

1. Nilekani can make Infosys hospitableInfosys CEO Vishal Sikka's resignation last week amid a war between the board and the founder-shareholders not only dented the image of India's iconic tech company, but also cast a shadow on its future.

The board blamed Sikka's resignation on founder NR Narayana Murthy's never-ending war with it. At this stage, when the company is mired in internal disputes, it will be difficult to find a good CEO and other top managers. A competent CEO would find the Infosys job too hot to handle. While working hard to steer the company out of various business challenges, he will also have to be brave enough to face the scrutiny of nit-picking founders who are always breathing down the necks of the board and prefer to take their battles to the media. The kind of CEO the company needs today may well avoid it.

But if Nilekani joins the board, he can restore order and make the company look more hospitable than it does now. Once the company is past its wrangles, it can attract the right candidate.

2.Only Nilekani can handle MurthyFew can believe that Murthy would cool off and be a bit mild in future. He has given no such indication after Sikka's exit. In all probability, Murthy will continue his tirade, and that too in the media. Only Nilekani can restrain Murthy. He is considered the only person whom Murthy listens to. With Nilekani on the board, Murthy will soften. At least, he will not wage open wars against the board.

3.Ability to work with diverse interestsNilekani has proven ability to rise above differences. He fought the last Lok Sabha election from Bengaluru on a Congress ticket and lost. Yet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked him to work as an advisor to the government after it launched a drive for a less-cash economy after demonetisation. The fact that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a bitter rival of Congress, roped in Nilekani amply shows that he can evoke trust even among rival interest groups. If he can rise above BJP-Congress war, he can easily be an effective mediator between the board and the founders. His experience of working on Unique Identification Authority of India that launched and manages Aadhaar gave him exposure to bureaucracy and politics where one has to handle disputes and differences worse than those at Infosys.

4.Execution manThe man who rolled out India's biggest tech project, Aadhaar, must have great execution abilities. He can have the new CEO's back who would have to bring in several structural changes at the company. Since he is also one of the Infosys founders, he can convince the belligerent founders if they object to any radical measures the board takes to reshape the company or change its direction or culture. Many founders will always resist change on one or the other pretext and can never trust an outsider. An insider like Nilekani won't be resisted if radical ideas are introduced at the company.

5.The man for the jobAt this stage, Nilekani appears to be the only man who can rescue Infosys because he knows it intimately. He is not just another insider or co-founder, but a man who knows the company's business, landscape, people and culture too well. He knows the tech industry and the business climate in which Infosys works. He knows the limitations as well as potential of the Infosys people, so he is going to face least resistance. He also has enough credibility to quell the investor anxiety and possible investor outrage if the infighting goes on.